RAF Chinook pilots training in US
Royal Air Force (RAF) Chinook pilots and crewmen have graduated from a US Marine Corps weapons tactics instructor training course undertaken at Marine Air Corps Station Yuma in Southern Arizona.
The seven week course saw RAF personnel training alongside over 200 US marine students in scenarios designed to provide personnel with experience of operating in hot climates and dusty environments. With temperatures on occasion reaching 50 degrees centigrade the conditions faced by students mirrored those experienced in the Middle East and Africa where RAF Chinooks operate today.
Group Captain Lee Turner, Station Commander RAF Odiham and Commander of the RAF Chinook Force said: ‘This is really world class training. We’ve come here in effect to improve the capability of the Chinook force and to train our people. It’s challenging for our crews and for our personnel here, not only the climatic conditions but also the complex nature of the training and the intensity of this which is a very focussed seven-week course.’
RAF Chinook helicopters are currently serving overseas on operations including Operations Shader in the Middle East and on Operation Barkhane in Mali in support of French forces. In addition to training in the US Chinooks are currently in the Middle East on Exercise Saif Sareea III.
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